


The Musings of Gareth Mallory

by Sapphire_Princess



Series: Found and Timestamps [2]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Prompt Fill, time stamp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25611526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire_Princess/pseuds/Sapphire_Princess
Summary: For the Prompt Fill: "Mallory's Observations about the people he finds himself in charge of."Can be read as a stand-alone but is a timestamp from Mallory's point of view for my fic Found
Relationships: James Bond/Q, M| Gareth Mallory/R (James Bond)
Series: Found and Timestamps [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1856440
Comments: 1
Kudos: 50
Collections: 007 Fest Fancreations





	The Musings of Gareth Mallory

He’s perfectly aware of how he ended up here.

Here being in charge of MI6, his arm freshly released from its sling and a room full of the people he’s now responsible for.

Eve sits to his right and Tanner to his left, which he thinks is apt.

Eve Moneypenny has been his saving grace since this whole mess started; rock-solid, capable, and with nerves of steel. Whether anyone higher up likes it or not she’s his second in command and is being paid as such. She’s also kind and compassionate and has, he knows, been arranging grief counseling for anyone to attend who thinks they might need it.

Bill Tanner is stalwart, trustworthy, and generally unshakeable. He has a calm disposition, which makes him an ideal chief of staff. M has seen him field questions, help staff, and feign ignorance when asked questions by incompetent idiots in the government’s committee. He can see why Mansfield chose this man as her chief of staff; he cares about his job and the staff and isn’t in this to grab power or climb the ladder.

Which is more than M can say for most people he’s had to deal with at Five in the last month or so.

Then there’s the heads of logistics, PR, and admin, who between them are decent and competent individuals who also talk to each other to make sure their departments can function together.

Q and R are next. The youngest Quartermaster in history and his second, who, M already knows is his sister.

Q was thrown into the position after his predecessor left in disgrace and has, after the Silva incident was finally resolved, implemented a complete overhaul of all the systems. He, R, the entirety of Q Branch, plus James Bond, and 004, worked on it for almost two weeks.

M has read Q’s file, knows his history and what he wants to do; a capable young man who needs MI6 as much as it needs him; he needs limits to keep him working at his best. M can respect that.

R is another matter entirely; he’s known her for three years and is five years younger than her brother and 16 years younger than Mallory himself. Never the less, he knows they’ll need to have a conversation sooner rather than later because the uncertainty about their future is clearly hurting her as much as it is him. There’s nothing stopping them from being together, not now he’s in the same part of the country as her, and Tanner is her direct report after Q.

Then there’s James Bond, sat at Q’s side, their chairs as close to each other as possible; M isn’t even sure if they’re aware they’re doing it. But they lean into each others space as though they always have and M wonders whether or not they’re together yet. If not it won’t be long now.

The man Mallory couldn’t, until the ambush, understand or know what to make of.

James Bond, is, at his core, a dedicated and loyal man. The lengths at which he went to save Mansfield, on top of his already impressive track record speak to that. And, yes, he does have impulsive tendencies and has made some questionable decisions but he’s always been much more at risk than his country. His scars are far more extensive than the physical ones on the surface but he’s finding a new way to live in the aftermath of what took place at the Skyfall estate.

M does feel better knowing the famed 007 is stepping away from active fieldwork to focus his attention on running the Double O division, leaving Mallory time to fix the rest of this mess alongside Eve. He would have respected his decision had he chosen to return to active duty but he can’t help but think things are better all around this way; it’s even helped avoid a merger with Five.

004, Isobel is next to James. She’s capable, cunning, and terrifying when she wants to be and somehow manages to combine James’ skills with an all together less destructive ability to get the job done. She also agrees to attend meetings so the other Double Os don’t have to.

Not that, M muses, he’d have let 009 or 005 anywhere near this particular one. They’re both perfectly capable in the field but they tend to ruffle feathers in a less… friendly manner when it comes to anyone outside of fieldwork. They’re also the most resistant to Bond’s position and his but, as long as they keep getting the job done they’re welcome to their attitudes.

Q has contingency plans in place just in case. As do he and Bond.  
Eve calls the meeting to attention so M packs his musings away until later.

*

R, Q, and Bond linger after everyone else clears out so M takes his chance.

“R?” he asks as Bond and Q file out, no doubt to the former’s office.

She turns to him, hopeful and wary in a way it’s been hurting him to see. He tries to offer her a reassuring smile.

“I’d like to take you out later, Laura, if you’re free?” he asks quietly.

“I ah.” She hesitates and bites her lip.

“It’s not bad news.”

That has her eyes flash to his and the weight in his chest lifts.

“Sure, come by Q Branch after 3 and I’ll be ready.”

“I’ll see you then.”

***


End file.
